Method of washing the side seams of can bodies



Aug- 25, 1953 w. MGK. MARTIN mL 2,650,178

METHOD OF WASHING THE SIDE SEAMS OF CAN BODIES Filed Nov. 8, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 25, 1953 w. MoK. MARTIN ETA'. 2,650,178

METHOD 0E WASHING THE SIDE SEAMS 0F CAN BODIES Filed Nov. 8, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gig/gj /fj 74 72 @E l o o o o /'7 7 //7/ I l o o E O` f// /Z O O` /zi `O Patented Aug.. 25, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT yorifice METHOD F WASHING THE SEAMS 0F CAN BGDIES william Mex. Martin, san Mateo.' Calif., and

Walter F. Pillnik Harvey, and Delbert E.

Wobbe, Maywood, Ill., assignors to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Original application December 13,1943, Serial No. 514,124, now Patent No. 2,461,559, dated February 15,1949. Divided and this application November 8, 1948, Serial No. 58,868

4 claims.` (ci. 134-15)` prepared with a uxing material prior to the soldering operation. After having been soldered the seams are usually wiped off to remove excess solder. This wiping operation carries away most of the excess flux and other foreign material.`

' These operations are performed en the outside of the can bodies and have no effect upon materials which may collect on the seam inside the bodies. In most cases the small quantity` of such material left on a can body seam is negligible. However, where can bodies are to be used for the packing of certain products it is desirable to remove every trace of flux from the side seam before other subsequent operations are performed on the bodies.

The instant invention contemplates complete removal of the excess flux on a can body side seam from inside aswell as from outside the body by a method of applying liquid sprays having a high velocity iiuid impeller that scour and wash away the iiux and other foreign materials which may become baked or otherwise deposited onto the body as a result of the soldering operation, while the body moves along a path of travel through the sprays. l

An object of the invention is the provision of a method of washing or cleaning the side seams of can bodies wherein a spray of a cleaning iluid is directed against the side seams of the can bodies as they pass along a. path of travel on a horn of a soldering machine so that excess flux and other foreign material will be washed oi the bodies.

Another object is the provision of such a method of washing can bodies wherein the seamon the inside of the body is washed simultaneously with the washing of the seam on the outside of the body.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better underf stood Ifrom the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of one form of machine for carrying out the method steps of the present invention, with parts broken away: Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentarysectional side and outside spraying devices;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the broken lines 3-`3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the can body washing station in the machine shown in Fig. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale, with parts broken away;

Fig. 5 is an end view of thewashing station shown in Fig. 4 `with parts broken away, parts in section; and

Fig. 6 is an under side view of the inside spraying device shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

As a preferred embodiment of the present for making tubular metallic can bodies and for` carrying out the method steps of the invention. This machine is of the form fully described in the United States Patent No. 1,338,716, issued May 4, 1920, to M. E. Widell. In the instant invention previously prepared can bodies A are advanced continuously in a spaced and orderly procession in an outside horn II for fluxing and soldering av less feed-in conveyor I9 having feed iingers 22 at spaced intervals therealong.

The conveyor I8 is located beneath the horn II and is at the left (as viewed in Fig. 1). 'Ihis conveyor passes over .suitable chain sprockets 23. 24 carried on studs 25 secured in bracketsl, 21. The brackets 26, 21are supported on an intermediate frame 28 carried on an end frame 32 and side :frame I5. The end frame 32 like the side frames I5, is mounted on the main base I6. 'I'he conveyor is operated in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine, as`

for example, by way of a connection with a main drive shaft 44 as disclosed in the above mentioned Widell patent. I

As the conveyor I8 advances the can bodies A the machine to a place where the side seam of the body is still open as is usual in can body manufacture. 'I'he tube at the end in the wash# ing station 8B issupported in a bracket |33 (see also Fig. 1). v i

The bracket |33 carries a plurality of support rollers |34 which normally engage against a curved support shoe |35 disposed adjacent the horn and formed at the center of a cross bar |36 (Figs. 4 and 5). The cross bar issecured to the channel beams H5. The tube |32` with the inside spray nozzle unit 92 thus is permitted to fioat and provide passage for the can bodies A as they move by and beyond this inside nozzle unit in their advancement along the horn.

The inside unit block member |30 preferably is formed with a curved bottom or under side |31. This is best illustrated in Fig. 2 where the mid or central section of the curved bottom is bridged across and` clear of the side seam B while the opposite or outer sections of the curved bottom engage the inside surface of each can body. This forms a shield and protects the remaining inside surface of the body. 'I'his curved `bottom has two transverse grooves |38, |42 cut therein (see also the washing operations Figs. 3 and 6). These grooves provide clearance for the outlet ends of the two `sets or rows of nozzle orifices |43, |45 formed in the block member |30.

The orifices |43 open out into the groove |38 and are spaced comparatively close to each other. There are five such orifices and they extend forward, in the direction of travel of the can bodiesalong the horn, into a transverse channel |44 formed in the block member.

The orifices |45 open out into the groove |42 and are smaller in diameter and are spaced further apart than the orifices |43. In this group there are ve orices |45; In addition and at the two ends of this row of orifices aretwo larger orifices |46, the latter being of the same diameter as the orifices |43. The orifices |45, |45 extend forward through theblock member at anangle and communicate with a transverse channel |41 formed in the member.

The transverse channels |44.. |41 have cornmunication with each other'by way of a channel |48 and the channel |44 also communicates with an inlet channel |52. One end of the inlet channel |52 leads from the open end of a pipe |53 which is secured in the block member (Fig. 3). This pipe extends through the center of the tube from its rear end and where it passes into the nozzle block it dips down through an opening |54 in the tub'el |32. This is a supply pipe and leads from a suitable source of cleaning fiuid. such as water, or the iiuid may be a mixture of steam and water.

Hence the cleaning fluid supplied to the nozzle 92 is forced out of the orifices |43, |45, |46 in a series of concentrated jets or sprays of the fiuid. The jets of fluid from the first set of orices |43 strike against the inside of the can body at the side seam, as the body is moving past, and dissolve, scour, and remove any adhering excess flux on the inside of the body. As the can body continues its advancement the second series of jets of fluid from the second set of orifices |45, |46 strike the body seam. The jets from `the l air, or gas as the chamber by Way of the pipe |50', issues from the orifices |45 are finer and less concentrated while the coarser sprays from the orifices |46 confine the curtain of spray from the liner sprays. This second set of jets is for the purpose of removing` free water and foreign matter remaining on the inside surface of the can body.

Since excess flux on can bodies is confined `shields or plates |55 (Figs. 2 and 5)' i waste materials are discharged from l largely to the region sirable to direct the cleaning to this region and to keep the remainder of the body dry during just described. On the outside of the can bodies this is done by outside opposite sides of the path of travel of thebodies. These shields protect the major portion of each body from the spray of the outside nozzles 93. The outside shields may be supported in any suitable manner on the horn bars l2.` The body constructionl of the inside nozzlesSZ inherently lends itself to protection of substantially all of the inside surface of the can bodies above the opposite ends of the curved bottom |31, as hereinbefore explained, and thus requires no other shield. l

In some cases it is or may be desirable to completely dry the inside surfaces of the moving can bodies. For this purpose a drying head |50 (Figs. 1 and 6) is located adjacent the inside spray nozzle unit 92. The head is threadedly carried on the outer end of the `tube |32 and is formed with a sealed chamber which communicates with a fiuid impeller pipe |50' which extends back through the tube adjacentthe pipe |53 to the source of impeller. Discharge orifices |50" formed in the head at an angle to the path of travel of the can bodies along the horn, communicate with the chamber. There are a plurality of these orifices arranged in a circle around the inner face ofthe head.

Hence the drying fluid, dry steam, compressed case may be, supplied to the discharge orifices |50 and impinges at high velocity against theinside surface of the body and sweeps out any residual droplets of the cleaning fluid, leaving the surface dry.`

Following the Washing of the can bodies at the station 88 (Fig. 1) `the bodies are in condition for removal onto an adjacent machine or other suitable place of discharge. This is effected by continued movement of the bodies along the horn following which they are discharged toward the right` (as viewed in Fig. 1).

The used or spent cleaning fluid, excess flux and other waste matter removed from the can bodies at the washing station `58, is held under control against spatterlngv onto adjacent can bodies and parts of the 'machine by vacuum which draws these waste materials down into a receiving means |56. This receptor is located directly beneath the body horn (Figs. 2 and 5) and is suspended from the cross rails l| |4. The vacuum is created in a suction manifold |51 connected to the lower end of the receptor and in turn leading to a suction device or fan |56 (Fig. 1).

The suction device |58 is located beneath the washing station and is supported on legs |62 mounted on the main base frame l5. This suction device may be operated in any suitable manner from `the main shaft 44. The waste materials thereafter are discharged through a pipe connection |63 into a cyclone separator |64. In this separator the water, excess iiux the bottom while the air is discharged from a pipe |55 extending upwardly from the separator and leading to a suitable place of exhaust.

It is` thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be yapparent of the side seam, itis deV disposed on fromthe instant machine for deposit` and other material advantages, the prac/ess hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. A method of removing adhering particles of foreign matter from the side seams of tubular container bodies after the fluxing and soldering of the seams of the bodies, which method comprises passing container bodies in processional order with the side seams in axial alignment, mixing a liquid cleaning substance with steam, projecting the'mixture at high velocity in a coarse spray against said nuxed and soldered side seams with a dissolving and scouring action,

then projecting a nner spray of the mixture at higher velocity against said s1de seams to remove the dissolved particles, simultaneously flanking said nner spray by coarse sprays to confine the action of said nner spray to. said seams and to prevent spattering of the dissolved particles onto adjacent can bodies, and simultaneously drawing away the spent cleaning liquid and the excess foreign matter from the passing container bodies. .v

, 2. A method of removing adhering particles of foreign matter including flux from the side seams of tubular container bodies after the nuxlng and soldering of the seams of the bodies, which method comprises passing container bodies in processional order with the side seams in alignment, mixing a liquid cleaning substance with steam, first projecting said mixture at high veloeity against said nuxed and soldered side seams as a coarse spray of cleaning nuid for dissolving the foreign particles and scouring the side seams, then projecting a finer spray of cleaning fiuid at higher velocity against the surface of the side seam already sprayed to wash away the dissolved particles, and simultaneously connning said nne sprays by transversely directed coarse sprays to concentrate and prevent splashing of the nne sprays.

3. A method of removing adhering particles of foreign matter from nuxed and soldered side Y seams of tubular container bodies, which method comprises advancing said container bodies in 8 processional order with the side seams in axial alignment, mixing a cleaning substance with steam, projecting said cleaning mixture as a coarse spray toward the advancing side seam areas for dissolving the foreign matter and scouring the side seams, then projecting a nner spray of said 'cleaning mixture at higher velocity against said side seams rearwardly of and angularly toward said coarse spray to dislodge and wash away the foreign matter so that said' angularly directed nner spray is connned by said coarse spray to prevent spattering of the dislodged foreign matter onto adjacent can bodies. 4.. A method of removing adhering particles of foreignumatter from nuxed and soldered side seams of tubular container bodies, which method comprises advancing said container bodies in processional order with the side seams in axial alignment, mixing a cleaning substance with steam, projecting said cleaning mixture at high velocity as an advance coarse spray toward the advancing side seam areas for dissolving the foreign matter and scouring the side seams, then projecting a nner spray of said cleaning mixture at higher velocity against said side seams rearwardly of andangularly toward said coarse spray to dislodge and wash away the dissolved foreign matter. and simultaneously nanking said nner spray by coarse sprays so that said angularly dl- WALTER F. PILLNIK. DELBERT E. WOBBE.

References Cited in the fue of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 595,704 Fellows -e.... Dec. 2l, 1897 595,705 Fellows Dec. 21, 1897 1,045,929 Zunner Dec. 3, 1912 1,298,973 Leahy Apr. 1, 1919 1,412,979 Sundh Apr. 18, 1922 1,814,551 Graban July 14, 1931 1,918,661 Phelps July 18, 1933 2,065,466 Horn Dec. 22, 1936 2,240,364 Kimball Apr. 29, 1941 

2. A METHOD OF REMOVING ADHERING PARTICLES OF FOREIGN MATTER INCLUDING FLUX FROM THE SIDE SEAMS OF TUBULAR CONTAINER BODIES AFTER THE FLUXING AND SOLDERING OF THE SEAMS OF THE BODIES, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES PASSING CONTAINER BODIES IN PROCESSIONAL ORDER WITH THE SIDE SEAMS IN ALIGNMENT, MIXING A LIQUID CLEANING SUBSTANCE WITH STEAM, FIRST PROJECTING SAID MIXTURE AT HIGH VELOCITY AGAINST SAID FLUXED AND SOLDERED SIDE SEAMS AS A COARSE SPRAY OF CLEANING FLUID FOR DISSOLVING THE FOREIGN PARTICLES AND SCOURING THE SIDE SEAMS, THEN PROJECTING A FINER SPRAY OF CLEANING FLUID AT HIGHER VELOCITY AGAINST THE SURFACE OF THE SIDE SEAM ALREADY SPRAYED TO WASH AWAY THE DISSOLVED PARTICLES, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CONFINING SAID FINE SPRAYS BY TRANSVERSELY DIRECTED COARSE SPRAYS TO CONCENTRATE AND PREVENT SPLASHING OF THE FINE SPRAYS. 